Dec 9 Constellation "Private Function" (2 Threads Merged)

[BosoxI]

The OP asks "Why were the elevators broken in the parking garage on the last day of the trip". Indeed, Celebrity, why were they broken? And what about the smell of garlic in a restaurant, of all places? What next? The TP is only single ply?

 

My wife and I were on this same cruise and had a wonderful time. Using the Elite drink coupons in an extremely crowded Martini bar was about as distressing as it got, so we'd order another round and cry on each other's shoulder. Worked fine for us. How we suffered with those tiny drinks the Elites are given. Oh, and maybe being within earshot of some X loudmouths at the bar was annoying. Even so, we had a wonderful time, so much so that we booked the same cruise on the March 8 sailing and not because we need to make another trip to Cozumel, I can assure you. There are some legitimate complaints addressed in this thread, but, boy, if you look for trouble, you sure can find it and some folks excel at that. I think all the paying customers on this cruise should be given a complimentary cruise for the indignities we suffered. Once a year. For life.

[dmwnc1959]

This thread is a bit concerning. I did a 10-night B2B on Celebrity Millennium a couple of years back during the exact same time frame and never had this happen. I had actually looked at booking Celebrity Constellation for this very same cruise the OP was on and would be pretty upset it they continuously blocked off public areas for Celebrity Cruises management and training events.

[shipshape sam]

The OP asks "Why were the elevators broken in the parking garage on the last day of the trip". Indeed, Celebrity, why were they broken? And what about the smell of garlic in a restaurant, of all places? What next? The TP is only single ply?

 

My wife and I were on this same cruise and had a wonderful time. Using the Elite drink coupons in an extremely crowded Martini bar was about as distressing as it got, so we'd order another round and cry on each other's shoulder. Worked fine for us. How we suffered with those tiny drinks the Elites are given. Oh, and maybe being within earshot of some X loudmouths at the bar was annoying. Even so, we had a wonderful time, so much so that we booked the same cruise on the March 8 sailing and not because we need to make another trip to Cozumel, I can assure you. There are some legitimate complaints addressed in this thread, but, boy, if you look for trouble, you sure can find it and some folks excel at that. I think all the paying customers on this cruise should be given a complimentary cruise for the indignities we suffered. Once a year. For life.

 

Good luck on your compensation! ;)

 

Glad too that you were able to have a good time and did not have any issues with limited access to a number of areas on numerous occasions as per the OP.

[stormynow]

This thread is a bit concerning. I did a 10-night B2B on Celebrity Millennium a couple of years back during the exact same time frame and never had this happen. I had actually looked at booking Celebrity Constellation for this very same cruise the OP was on and would be pretty upset it they continuously blocked off public areas for Celebrity Cruises management and training events.

As stated earlier, was on this cruise and the only thing we noted blocked off were the conference rooms. Didn't want to go there anyway, probably no bar.

[USVI-4-me]

The OP asks "Why were the elevators broken in the parking garage on the last day of the trip". Indeed, Celebrity, why were they broken? And what about the smell of garlic in a restaurant, of all places? What next? The TP is only single ply?

 

My wife and I were on this same cruise and had a wonderful time. Using the Elite drink coupons in an extremely crowded Martini bar was about as distressing as it got, so we'd order another round and cry on each other's shoulder. Worked fine for us. How we suffered with those tiny drinks the Elites are given. Oh, and maybe being within earshot of some X loudmouths at the bar was annoying. Even so, we had a wonderful time, so much so that we booked the same cruise on the March 8 sailing and not because we need to make another trip to Cozumel, I can assure you. There are some legitimate complaints addressed in this thread, but, boy, if you look for trouble, you sure can find it and some folks excel at that. I think all the paying customers on this cruise should be given a complimentary cruise for the indignities we suffered. Once a year. For life.

 

 

What entity is responsible for the elevator port parking maintenance?

It sounds like a real damper on a cruise to drag luggage up flights of stairs at the parking garage and pay the 15 dollars a day parking.

 

The ply of toilet paper would not matter.

 

The elite vouchers say not valid at the Martini Bar, that is a question?

 

-Marisa

[TravelerThom]

...The ply of toilet paper would not matter...

It did the time a whole row of cabins had a sewage back-up because someone brought and used extra heavy cushy toilet paper, clogging up the system.

They pampered their butt while proving to their fellow passengers what a selfish a$$ they were.:mad:

[USVI-4-me]

I'm referring to hauling the luggage up the stairs at the parking garage.

It sounds like a double dung heap.

 

Your story about passengers bringing two ply paper aboard and backing up the system for a row of cabins is an incomprehensible mess.

 

no name given per the topic

[stormynow]

I'm referring to hauling the luggage up the stairs at the parking garage.

It sounds like a double dung heap.

 

Your story about passengers bringing two ply paper aboard and backing up the system for a row of cabins is an incomprehensible mess.

 

no name given per the topic

Can't say for sure but maybe you would be happier in the US Virgin Islands?

[shipshape sam]

Can't say for sure but maybe you would be happier in the US Virgin Islands?

 

I would based on just the temp tomorrow here in Atlanta. 30's as a high. North East US even worst.

 

USVI wins hands down!!

Edited January 3, 2014 by shipshape sam

[USVI-4-me]

Can't say for sure but maybe you would be happier in the US Virgin Islands?

 

We're cozy in our place close to DW. USVI is my user name.

St. Thomas/St. John are favorite ports, along with St. Maarten.

 

I'd rather be in Florida with beaches, airports, and interstates to take me away.

 

I don't drag luggage up or down stairs, if I encountered broken elevators at a parking garage, we'd have to send DH up the stairs for the car. He'd pick me up w/luggage at a place in the shade.

 

I have no idea what the OP did when the elevators were not working.

 

-Marisa

[stormynow]

Marisa, all makes good sense. To answer your question about using elite drink vouchers at the Martini bar. Yes and usually don't hold you to the times listed on the vouchers. Not elite but had 6 vouchers delivered to the room (inside deck 4) every day. Just gave them to peeps met on the ship. Had the prem bev pkg.

[JLSPOOL]

In Post # 18, I wrote: The open deck behind the buffet was a smoking area and smelled of it. That smoke had strong competition with the garlic that overwhelmed the buffet area.

 

A recent post from BosoxI speaks of the garlic issue:

 

The OP asks "Why were the elevators broken in the parking garage on the last day of the trip". Indeed, Celebrity, why were they broken? And what about the smell of garlic in a restaurant, of all places? What next? The TP is only single ply?

 

My suggestion to Celebrity is that they introduce some exhaust system over the garlic filled stations in the buffet. OR, introduce the smells of baked breads, autumn spices on sweet potatoes, baked apples, cooked cabbage, fried bacon, pineapple glaze on ham, red wine based sauces w/rosemary, or consult with a cook about the overwhelming garlic smell that permeates the air of the buffet which during our cruise was in some areas mixed with smoke from the open air seating on the back of the buffet.

 

IMHO a restaurant that smells only of garlic is a cheap restaurant which needs training in the use of spices such as oregano, sage, rosemary, basil to counter the odors in the air.

 

jls

Edited January 4, 2014 by JLSPOOL

[BosoxI]

There was a very strong odor of garlic ONE day in ONE section of the restaurant. I like garlic to enhance food, not to overwhelm it. So, guess what DW and I did; we moved to a place where the garlic odor was not bothersome. Lots of cuisines use garlic and smelling it in a restaurant doesn't indicate quality, good, bad or indifferent in my book

[JLSPOOL]

There was a very strong odor of garlic ONE day in ONE section of the restaurant. I like garlic to enhance food, not to overwhelm it. So, guess what DW and I did; we moved to a place where the garlic odor was not bothersome. Lots of cuisines use garlic and smelling it in a restaurant doesn't indicate quality, good, bad or indifferent in my book

 

It's good news to me that you were on the Dec. 9 Constellation cruise too.

Please comment on other aspects of your cruise experience.

You are fortunately tolerant of the garlic odor and don't think it affects quality when used excessively.

jls

Edited January 4, 2014 by JLSPOOL

[WpgCruise]

I love the smell of garlic.

 

For those who don't, and want to see an exhaust fan installed to move t, where would the outlet for the exhaust be...............probably just over someplace where someone would be who does not care for the smell of garlic.

 

Now, if someone would start a campaign to limit the amount of perfumes and cologne allowed, I'd sure support that.

 

But garlic in cooking areas, I'm fine with that.

[Kellie Poodle]

This worries me for my jan 18th sailing on Reflection with the large Paula Deen group!!

 

We were with the Paula Deen group on Navigator last January. There was also a large group of firefighters and several large family groups. We did not experience any problems. All the people in the groups were very nice.

[Johnny Heedless]

Completely agree, we would have been furious. We had a large Brazilian group on our last cruise and that was bad enough. Certain areas of the ship were 'private function'.

 

Heaven forbid that they allowed some of them Brazilians on board. What's next? Celebrity might actually allows some of them darker-pigmented folks on board next, if you know what I mean.

[JLSPOOL]

I love the smell of garlic.

 

For those who don't, and want to see an exhaust fan installed to move t, where would the outlet for the exhaust be...............probably just over someplace where someone would be who does not care for the smell of garlic.

 

Now, if someone would start a campaign to limit the amount of perfumes and cologne allowed, I'd sure support that.

 

But garlic in cooking areas, I'm fine with that.

 

And, limburger cheese. My dad loved that. Not me.

To each his own, but please don't push the smells off on me.

Balance them for that makes a nice bouquet.

 

jls

[richsea]

I have been on cruise Critic a long time, & I think that this is the first time I saw a complaint about garlic odor, & in a food serving area no less. What else can they do to upset us?:o

[JLSPOOL]

I love the smell of garlic.

 

For those who don't, and want to see an exhaust fan installed to move t, where would the outlet for the exhaust be...............probably just over someplace where someone would be who does not care for the smell of garlic.

 

Now, if someone would start a campaign to limit the amount of perfumes and cologne allowed, I'd sure support that.

 

But garlic in cooking areas, I'm fine with that.

 

Garlic predominated one whole side of the buffet on Constellation, for lunch and dinner, thank goodness no garlic in the scrambled eggs or sprinkled on the orange slices.

 

When we visit high priced restaurants, low cost food courts, any buffet in most hotels of merit, even Golden Corral, garlic is used in most of the food but the garlic odor doesn't smell up large spaces where the food is served.

 

I might ask why garlic is the American flavor of choice. I'd rather ask why there is no exhaust system in the buffet to carry away strong odors. The stir-fry stations on S-Class ships are another spot badly in need of an exhaust system.

 

I'm not an engineer. But I have a Jenn-Air cook top that does not have a flu to carry cooking odors to the outdoors. I wish it did, but it does work better than nothing. Obviously we don't cook with garlic as its not to our taste.

 

jls

[USVI-4-me]

Marisa, all makes good sense. To answer your question about using elite drink vouchers at the Martini bar. Yes and usually don't hold you to the times listed on the vouchers. Not elite but had 6 vouchers delivered to the room (inside deck 4) every day. Just gave them to peeps met on the ship. Had the prem bev pkg.

 

Stormynow,

1) it's good the vouchers are okay at the martini bar.

 

2) where did you pick up most of your 117 drinks on the drink package

 

3) what do you think is an average day of drinking for cruisers on a package

 

4) do you think the cruisers on the 12/9 Connie cruise got full value from their packages due to the closing off of two cocktail venues during prime drinking time?

 

5) we get vouchers when we cruise, we plan to ignore the small print on the back of the voucher and go for it at the Martini bar.

 

thanks for sharing that you got a value for your money on the 12/9.

 

-Marisa

[JLSPOOL]

There was a very strong odor of garlic ONE day in ONE section of the restaurant. I like garlic to enhance food, not to overwhelm it. So, guess what DW and I did; we moved to a place where the garlic odor was not bothersome. Lots of cuisines use garlic and smelling it in a restaurant doesn't indicate quality, good, bad or indifferent in my book

 

Have you written about the rest of your cruise on 12/9 Constellation?

What are your thoughts besides moving to a different area one day?

 

thx,

jls

[stormynow]

Stormynow,

1) it's good the vouchers are okay at the martini bar.

 

2) where did you pick up most of your 117 drinks on the drink package

 

3) what do you think is an average day of drinking for cruisers on a package

 

4) do you think the cruisers on the 12/9 Connie cruise got full value from their packages due to the closing off of two cocktail venues during prime drinking time?

 

5) we get vouchers when we cruise, we plan to ignore the small print on the back of the voucher and go for it at the Martini bar.

 

thanks for sharing that you got a value for your money on the 12/9.

 

-Marisa

#1, OK #2, a.m. a few at the outdoor aft bar. Couple atthe pool bars during the day, then Martini bar b/4 dinner, couple glasses wine with dinner, Michaels and Casino bar after dinner. Drink the same with or without drink pkg. #3 & #4 No idea but what were the 2 cocktail venues closed during prime drinking time? We did not encounter any.

#5 Did not note any small print on the back of the voucher but noted some small martini's at the Martini bar. Either for the classic drink pkg or vouchers. Don't know.

[USVI-4-me]

#1, OK #2, a.m. a few at the outdoor aft bar. Couple atthe pool bars during the day, then Martini bar b/4 dinner, couple glasses wine with dinner, Michaels and Casino bar after dinner. Drink the same with or without drink pkg. #3 & #4 No idea but what were the 2 cocktail venues closed during prime drinking time? We did not encounter any.

#5 Did not note any small print on the back of the voucher but noted some small martini's at the Martini bar. Either for the classic drink pkg or vouchers. Don't know.

 

Stormynow,

Your answers hit the mark for us. Those small martinis at the martini bar are okay with me. I prefer a good wine rather than the voucher wine anyway. A few taste testers of mini martini are fine. Dh wants a full size martini and can use his Seapass to get what he wants.

 

You've set my cruise fantasy in a good direction. I'll start a thread when time allows to ask more questions about cocktail service during the day.

 

Thank you for putting the positives into a cruise that had a random problem. You worked around any inconvenience. That's what we will do when we board the Constellation on the next last minute getaway. We are a short drive from the ports.

 

Happy cruising.

 

-Marisa

[ClairetoCruise]

Any word from Celebrity hqtrs on this?

 

Claire